Forest corpn in the red
The Himachal Pradesh State Forest Corporation is in a serious financial crisis these days as there is no demand of timber in its depots following a large-scale flow of imported timber in Himachal Pradesh and the adjoining states. The total turnover of the corporation has come down by nearly 35 …
Forest cover under threat
The large-scale outbreak of forest diseases in the hills is causing concern to the environmentalists, who fear that the process, if not checked, could spell doom for the fast depleting forest resources which are already under strain due to increasing pressure of population. Until recently forest diseases were virtually unknown …
Department gears up to fight forest fires
The state Forest Department is all geared up to check forest fires, which usually break out when the mercury starts soaring towards the middle of May. Every summer fires affect thousands of hectares of forest land in the state, wiping out rich flora and fauna. Besides, the columns of smoke …
Japanese come back to green Rajasthan
The second phase of the Aravalli Afforestation Project, funded by the Japan Bank of International Cooperation, which had been held up for over four years after the country's nuclear test in 1998, has materialised at a time when the drought ravaged Rajasthan needed it most.
A case for better tree management
A Finnish forestry expert is of the opinion that India should plant more trees for the purpose of cutting them down. Blind opposition to cutting of trees in the name of environmental protection and conservation would only discourage the common man from planting and protecting them, Goran Haldin of Green …
Four die as heat wave sparks forest fires in Mexico
Four volunteer firefighters died this week in forest fires caused by a severe heat wave that has swept Mexico, authorities said. Fires in several states across Mexico have destroyed at least 150,000 hectares (370,500 acres) of forest, jungle and pasture according to official figures. Temperatures have surged to between 40 …
Sea change
When a US container carrier leaves the port of Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu this month, it will mark the beginning of the end of a case that is a landmark in environmental activism and corporate responsibility. For, on board the ship will be 290 tonne of hazardous mercury waste. The …
Forest Deptt gears up to fight fires
Adopting various preventive measures to fight forest fires, a most common challenge before the Forest Department, during the summer months, the Himachal Pradesh state government has initiated action. The formation of village committees, deploying fire watchers, and equiping the forest guards with wirless sets is on the cards.Every year the …
Pine trees gutted in Saproon Valley
Hundreds of small and half grown green tres of pine and other species were destroyed in a fire that broke out in Khaldhar forest(Himachal Pradesh) causing extensive damage to natural wealth of the region. The residents of the nearby villages along with the staff of the Forest Department were struggling …
Plan to conserve forests okayed
A Rs 15 crore Catchment Area Treatment plan has been approved for execution at a meeting of forest officials of Mandi and Kullu districts and engineers of the Larji Hydel Project with the view to conserving forests and prolonging the life of the hydel projects in the Beas basin. The …
Alarming rise in well water salinity
The salinity of well water has trebled over the last six years in Chennai city outskirts owing to increased sea water intrusion, CPR Centre Honorary Director Nandhita Krishna said on Saturday.The intrusion is due to over-exploitation of ground water and and inadequate recharge, Nandhita Krishna explained at a seminar on …
The great tree crisis
Fifteen men sit, sip chai and mull over a thick sheaf of applications. A couple of hours later, the verdict is out : nearly 600 trees in the city will get the axe. These eight men are the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's Tree Authority
Police chief orders probe into tree felling by CAR men
Bangalore Police Commissioner S Mariswamy has directed Additional Commissioner of Police (Administration) T G Doreswamy Naik to probe into the incident in which some CAR (South) personnel were accused of trying to cut trees at a farmhouse in Hanli village in Sakleshpur taluk on May 6. It may be recalled …
W Ghats to be affected if Bedthi is diverted
The Western Ghats would be severely affected if the course of Bedthi river in Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka is diverted to connect it to river Varada, warned Srimadgangadharendra Saraswathi Swamiji of Sonda Swarnawalli Math. Any damage caused to Western Ghats would be irreparable as it would affect the ecological …
Sandalwood trees are fast depleting: Expert
"It is high time entrepreneurs concentrated on growing sandalwood. Otherwise, India's position as a world leader in sandalwood cultivation will come down," said forestry consultant H S Anantha Padmanabha. Padmanabha was speaking at 'Grow more Sandal', a programme organised by The Institution of Engineers and Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited, …
Environment awareness programme introduced in schools
Union environment ministry has launched a programme 'National green core' with an intention to create awareness about environment among the school children in Madhya Pradesh. Environment Clubs will be formed in 100 schools of every district across the country. According to official information, a total of 40,000 clubs have been …
Rs 779 crore for afforestation project in Tamil Nadu
Forests and Environment Minister R Vaithilingam announced that the Tamil Nadu state government would launch a Rs 779 crore afforestation project covering 2,50,000 hectares in five years from 2003-04. The project called 'Tamil Nadu Natural Resources Management Project' would be implemented in 1,000 villages under the Tamil Nadu Afforestation Project-II.
Official apathy is killing trees in Chennai, says green lovers
The merciless summer ahead threatens to sound the death knell for quite a few trees in the Chennai city, Tamil Nadu. With the authorities concerned continuing to be apathetic, even full grown trees in some areas have started withering at the roots, green lovers say, adding that the loss of …
Police yet to take action in Colaba tree-hacking case
The police still have not booked anyone for the felling of 24 trees in Navy Nagar, Colaba, (Mumbai) a week after a complaint was lodged by the municipality's A ward office. N.N. Naik an activist with Friends of the Trees and senior member of the city's Tree Authority alleged that …
Save water, dont build dam
Instead of investing in an expensive project that could ease city's water problems but would destroy acres of forests, the BMC(Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) should tackle the large-scale leaks and pilferage of water. This is the strongest argument environmentalists are making against proposals for a new Vaitarna dam. Between 20 per …
